Mukesh Kishanpuria v. State of West Bengal
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – s.438 – Anticipatory bail – Rejected by the High Court at Calcutta
Case brief
What is this about?
Mukesh Kishanpuria v. State of West Bengal, Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No. 3224 of 2010, decided 3 May 2010 by Markandey Katju and A.K. Patnaik, JJ. (order of the Court). Challenged the judgment and order dated 26.03.2010 of the High Court at Calcutta in C.R.M. No. 3810 of 2010 rejecting the petitioner's Section 438 Cr.P.C. anticipatory bail application. The Supreme Court declined anticipatory bail but clarified that the power to grant regular bail includes the power to grant interim bail pending final disposal of the regular bail application, being inherent in the power to grant bail in view of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, 1950; a person should not be compelled to go to jail if he establishes prima facie innocence. Directed that an interim bail application filed with the regular bail application be decided the same day, and that the trial court decide the bail application uninfluenced by the High Court's observations. Counsel: Prashant Kumar for petitioner; U.U. Lalit, Rishi Maheshwari, Sumit Attri, Shally Bhasin Maheshwari, Suman Jyoti Khaitan for respondent. Keywords: anticipatory bail; interim bail; regular bail; Section 438 Cr.P.C.; Article 21; special leave petition disposed.